CAIRO, May 12 (UPI) -- An Egyptian-American was detained Wednesday at Cairo International Airport after security screeners said they discovered weapons in his luggage, official said.
Security officials said the Egyptian-American arrived Wednesday in Cairo from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. Security screeners told Egypt's Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper that Mohamed Ibrahim Khalf was apprehended after he tried to pass through customs allegedly carrying two 9mm pistols, 250 bullets, two swords and 11 daggers.
Screeners said he was a professor of botany at an unnamed U.S. university and was transferred to state authorities for interrogation.
U.S. authorities ramped up airport screening efforts following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. A failed plot to down a U.S. passenger plane on Christmas Day and a failed bombing attempt at Times Square in New York City prompted authorities to clamp down on screening efforts further.
The Egyptian newspaper said it wasn't clear if the weapons were found by metal detectors or during a manual search, nor was it clear if Khalf was named on any watch lists.
